The Silk Road Self-Launched: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan

Fly into Manas International Airport and make your own way into the city centre by shared taxi or bus (around £2–4). Check into a well-reviewed hostel or guesthouse in central Bishkek. Spend the afternoon exploring independently: stroll to Ala-Too Square, the White House, the Lenin Statue and the Manas Monument. In the evening, head to a local chaikhana (teahouse) or restaurant to try your first plate of Kyrgyz cuisine — lagman noodles or manti dumplings are a great start.

🚌Airport to city centre by shared taxi or bus (~£2–4)

🛏Nomads Hostel or Apple Hostel Bishkek (dorm ~£8, private ~£20)

• →Self-guided walk around Ala-Too Square and central Bishkek landmarks
• →Visit the Kyrgyz National Museum (entry ~£2)
• →Dinner at a local chaikhana — try lagman or plov

Arrange a shared taxi or day-trip minibus from Bishkek's Osh Bazaar area towards Tokmok (around £3–5 per person). En route, stop at the UNESCO-listed Burana Tower — an 11th-century Karakhanid minaret you can climb for sweeping views. Explore the adjacent open-air museum of balbals (nomadic gravestones) and visit the Ak Beshim ruins nearby. Continue to Chon-Kemin National Park, a stunning valley of mountains and fir forests. Stay at a family-run guesthouse in the valley.

🚌Shared taxi Bishkek to Tokmok/Chon-Kemin (~£3–5 per person)

🛏Guesthouse Kemin or similar family guesthouse in Chon-Kemin (~£15–20 half board)

• →Climb Burana Tower (entry ~£1.50)
• →Explore Ak Beshim ruins and balbals open-air museum
• →Afternoon walk in Chon-Kemin valley

Take a shared taxi or marshrutka (minibus) east along the southern shore of Issyk Kul Lake — the world's second-largest saltwater lake. Stop at Barskaun Gorge for a short hike to a beautiful waterfall. Continue to Djety Oguz Gorge and check into a traditional yurt camp for the night. This is a genuine highlight of the trip: communal meals, stargazing, and sleeping in a traditional felt yurt. Hot water and basic Western toilets are usually available. Optional: arrange an eagle hunting demonstration in Bokonbaev village (~£15–20 per person direct with local families).

🚌Shared taxi or marshrutka along Issyk Kul south shore (~£5–8 per person)

🛏Yurt Camp, Djety Oguz (~£20–25 half board per person)

• →Scenic drive along Issyk Kul Lake southern shore
• →Hike to Barskaun Gorge waterfall (~2 hours)
• →Optional eagle hunting demonstration in Bokonbaev (~£15–20)
• →Overnight in traditional Kyrgyz yurt camp

Start the morning with a 2-hour hike through the Valley of Seven Bulls (Djety Oguz), named after its seven dramatic red rock formations. Learn the legends behind the landscape as you walk through fir forest and past yurt settlements. Continue to Karakol for an afternoon self-guided walk: the wooden Russian Orthodox Church, the ornate Dungan Mosque (built without nails), and the lively Karakol Bazaar. In the evening, book a home-cooked dinner with a local Uygur or Dungan family through your guesthouse or a CBT (Community Based Tourism) Kyrgyzstan office — a brilliant and authentic experience.

🚌Shared taxi Djety Oguz to Karakol (~£2–3 per person)

🛏Amir Hotel or Green Yard Hotel Karakol (~£15–22 per night)

• →Morning hike in Djety Oguz gorge (~2 hours)
• →Self-guided tour of Karakol: Dungan Mosque, Russian Orthodox Church
• →Visit Karakol Bazaar
• →Home-cooked dinner with a local family via CBT Kyrgyzstan (~£8–12)

Take a shared taxi from Karakol towards the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border (allow 1–2 hours for crossing). On the Kazakh side, arrange a shared taxi or local tour through Karkara Valley to Charyn Canyon — a dramatic landscape carved by the Charyn River, often called Central Asia's answer to the Grand Canyon. Walk the Valley of Castles section (~1 hour), enjoy a picnic lunch bought from a roadside shop, and explore the start of Moon Canyon. Continue by shared taxi to Almaty, arriving mid-to-late afternoon.

🚌Shared taxi Karakol to border (~£5), shared taxi/local minibus Karkara–Charyn–Almaty (~£10–15)

🛏Staybridge Hotel or Kazzhol Hotel Almaty (~£25–35 per night)

• →Cross Kyrgyz-Kazakh border (allow 1–2 hours)
• →Explore Charyn Canyon — Valley of Castles walk (~1 hour)
• →Views over Moon Canyon
• →Arrive in Almaty, evening at leisure

Take a local bus or shared taxi out of Almaty to Esik (about 45 minutes). Visit the impressive Esik Burial Mounds — a vast Scythian-Saka archaeological site dating to the 4th century BCE — and the adjacent Esik State Historical and Cultural Museum, home to replicas of the famous Golden Man artefact. Continue to alpine Lake Issyk (not to be confused with Issyk Kul), a beautiful mountain lake at 1,760m surrounded by forest. Walk the southern shore trail and take in the views before returning to Almaty by shared taxi.

🚌Shared taxi Almaty to Esik and Lake Issyk (~£5–8 return)

🛏Staybridge Hotel or Kazzhol Hotel Almaty (~£25–35 per night)

• →Visit Esik Burial Mounds and Esik Museum (~£3 entry)
• →Walk the shores of Lake Issyk (Issyk Gorge)
• →Return to Almaty for dinner in the city

Spend the day exploring Almaty's highlights independently. Highlights include the stunning all-wooden Zenkov Cathedral (Ascension Cathedral) in Panfilov Park, the Monument to Panfilov's 28 Guardsmen, and the Museum of National Instruments (entry ~£2). Almaty has a great café culture — grab lunch on Arbat Street. In the evening, head to Almaty-2 train station and board the overnight sleeper train to Tashkent (~16 hours). Book a 4-berth kupe (compartment) ticket in advance via the KTZ (Kazakh Railways) website or a local agency — a comfortable and atmospheric way to cross Central Asia.

🚌Overnight sleeper train Almaty to Tashkent (~16 hours, ~£20–30)

🛏Overnight sleeper train — 4-berth kupe compartment (~£20–30 per person)

• →Visit Zenkov Cathedral and Panfilov Park
• →Monument to Panfilov's 28 Guardsmen
• →Museum of National Instruments (~£2)
• →Evening: board overnight sleeper train to Tashkent

Arrive in Tashkent in the early afternoon. Change money at a local bank or official exchange (rates are excellent — avoid black market), then check into your hotel. Rest for a few hours before an evening wander through the city. Explore the Hast Imam (Khast Imam) complex — home to one of the world's oldest Qurans — and stroll through the old city bazaar. Tashkent has wide Soviet-era boulevards, excellent metro stations (each uniquely decorated) and a buzzing café scene.

🚌Train arrival; metro and walking within city (~£1–2 per day)

🛏Milan Hotel or Lotte City Hotel Tashkent (~£20–30 per night)

• →Arrive Tashkent, check in and rest
• →Evening visit to Hast Imam Complex and old city bazaar
• →Stroll along Independence Square and leafy boulevards

Spend the morning finishing Tashkent's highlights: ride the famously ornate Tashkent Metro (single ride ~£0.20 — each station is a work of art), visit Independence Square and the Amir Timur Museum. In the evening, board the Afrosiyob high-speed train to Samarkand (journey ~2 hours, book via the Uzbekistan Railways website in advance). Check into your guesthouse near Registan Square — Samarkand's old city hotels are often stunning converted historic buildings.

🚌Afrosiyob high-speed train Tashkent–Samarkand (~2 hours, ~£7–12)

🛏Ideal Hotel or Bibikhanum Hotel Samarkand (~£18–28 per night)

• →Tashkent Metro ride — admire the decorated stations (~£0.20)
• →Visit Amir Timur Museum and Independence Square
• →Board Afrosiyob fast train to Samarkand (~2 hours)

Spend a full day exploring one of the Silk Road's greatest cities. Entry to most major sites costs £2–5 each — buy a combined ticket where available. Start at the magnificent Registan Square, flanked by three 15th–17th century madrasahs; visit at sunset for a magical atmosphere. Continue to the Gur Emir Mausoleum (burial place of Tamerlane), the towering Bibi Khanym Mosque, and Shah-i-Zinda necropolis — a breathtaking avenue of mosaic-tiled mausoleums. Visit Siab Bazaar to sample local dried fruits, nuts and flatbreads. In the afternoon, head to Ulugbek's Observatory and the nearby Afrosiyab Museum.

🚌Walking and occasional taxi within Samarkand (~£1–2)

🛏Ideal Hotel or Bibikhanum Hotel Samarkand (~£18–28 per night)

• →Registan Square and its three grand madrasahs (~£4 entry)
• →Gur Emir Mausoleum — tomb of Tamerlane (~£2)
• →Bibi Khanym Mosque (~£2)
• →Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (~£3)
• →Siab Bazaar — sample local produce
• →Ulugbek Observatory and Afrosiyab Museum (~£3)

Take the Afrosiyob or Sharq fast train from Samarkand to Bukhara (approximately 1.5 hours, book ahead via the Uzbekistan Railways website). Bukhara is one of the best-preserved Islamic cities in the world and its entire old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Check in to a guesthouse within the old city walls — many are set in beautifully restored historic caravanserais. Spend the evening wandering the atmospheric Lyabi Hauz square, lined with mulberry trees and tea houses, and catch your first glimpse of the Kalon Minaret.

🚌Afrosiyob/Sharq train Samarkand–Bukhara (~1.5 hours, ~£6–10)

🛏Kavsar Hotel or Minzifa Boutique Hotel Bukhara (~£18–28 per night)

• →Fast train Samarkand to Bukhara (~1.5 hours)
• →Check in to old city guesthouse
• →Evening stroll around Lyabi Hauz square
• →First views of the Kalon Minaret by night

Bukhara rewards slow exploration — two full days here barely scratches the surface of 2,500 years of history. Today, focus on the old city core: the Kalon Mosque and Minaret (12th century, the minaret so impressive that even Genghis Khan spared it), the Mir-i-Arab Madrassa opposite, and the Ark Fortress — a royal city-within-a-city inhabited for over 1,400 years. Browse the covered bazaar domes (toki) where traders have sold silk, spices and hats for centuries. In the evening, catch a traditional Uzbek music performance at one of the chaikhanas around Lyabi Hauz.

🚌Walking throughout (~free)

🛏Kavsar Hotel or Minzifa Boutique Hotel Bukhara (~£18–28 per night)

• →Kalon Mosque and Minaret (~£2)
• →Mir-i-Arab Madrassa (exterior view)
• →Ark Fortress (~£3)
• →Shopping in the covered bazaar domes (Toki Zargaron, Toki Sarrafon)
• →Evening traditional music at Lyabi Hauz teahouse

Dedicate today to Bukhara's outer highlights and a more relaxed pace. Visit the Samanid Mausoleum — one of the oldest surviving Islamic buildings in Central Asia (10th century). Head to the Chor Minor (Four Minarets) mosque for a quirky and photogenic detour. In the afternoon, hire a local guide for a 2-hour walking tour of the old city's lesser-known Jewish quarter, caravanserais and hammams (around £10–15 via GetYourGuide or directly through your guesthouse). End the day with a rooftop dinner overlooking the Kalon Minaret.

🚌Walking throughout (~free)

🛏Kavsar Hotel or Minzifa Boutique Hotel Bukhara (~£18–28 per night)

• →Samanid Mausoleum (~£2)
• →Chor Minor (Four Minarets) (~£1.50)
• →Local walking tour of Jewish quarter and hammams (~£10–15)
• →Rooftop dinner with Kalon Minaret views

Board a train from Bukhara to Urgench (approximately 6–7 hours across the vast Kyzylkum Desert — a mesmerising journey through one of Central Asia's great wildernesses). Book in advance via Uzbekistan Railways. From Urgench station, take a shared taxi to Khiva (30 minutes, ~£1–2 per person). Check into a guesthouse inside the Itchan Kala (the walled inner city) — staying within the historic walls is a special experience. The old city glows beautifully in the late afternoon light.

🚌Train Bukhara–Urgench (~£8–12); shared taxi Urgench–Khiva (~£1–2)

🛏Malika Khorezm or Orient Star Khiva (inside Itchan Kala) (~£18–28 per night)

• →Train Bukhara to Urgench across Kyzylkum Desert (~6–7 hours)
• →Shared taxi Urgench to Khiva (~30 min, ~£1–2)
• →Check in to guesthouse inside Itchan Kala
• →Evening walk on the city walls at sunset

Buy a combined Itchan Kala entry ticket (~£6–8) which gives access to most monuments in the walled old city. Spend a full day exploring at your own pace: the iconic Kalta Minor turquoise minaret (unfinished but spectacular), the Juma Mosque with its 218 carved wooden columns, the Tosh Hovli Palace, the Islam Khoja Minaret (climb it for panoramic views), and the city walls themselves. Khiva is the most intact ancient city on the Silk Road — a living museum you can wander freely. End the day with dinner in the old city and a final evening stroll under the stars.

🚌Walking throughout (~free)

🛏Malika Khorezm or Orient Star Khiva (~£18–28 per night)

• →Itchan Kala combined entry ticket (~£6–8)
• →Kalta Minor Minaret
• →Juma Mosque — 218 carved wooden columns
• →Tosh Hovli Palace
• →Climb Islam Khoja Minaret for panoramic views
• →Walk the city walls at sunset

Your adventure ends in Khiva. Depending on your flight, take a final morning stroll through the empty early-morning streets of the Itchan Kala before the day-trippers arrive — magical. Transfer to Urgench Airport by shared taxi (~30 minutes, ~£2–3) for your onward flight. Alternatively, return to Tashkent by train or fly directly from Urgench to your next destination. International flights from Urgench are available to several European hubs.

🚌Shared taxi Khiva to Urgench Airport (~30 min, ~£2–3)

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final early-morning walk in Itchan Kala
• →Transfer to Urgench Airport by shared taxi (~£2–3)